The present invention generally relates to cartons for holding and dispensing beverage containers or other types of articles. More specifically, the present invention relates to cartons having a reinforced handle.
Cartons, such as paperboard cartons used to hold, carry or dispense articles are well known. These cartons usually are formed or assembled by folding a paperboard carton blank that has been cut, perforated and creased in selected areas to achieve desired features and characteristics. These features include tear lines, handles, opening features, dispensers and other well-known attributes. Such handle features can be formed, for example, in the top panel or alternatively in an end or ends of the carton. These handles can define a hole or other opening to permit the handle to be grasped by the user so that the loaded carton can be conveniently carried via the handle.
When fabricating a carrier or carton from the paperboard carton blank, it is common for opposite ends of the blank to be attached to each other by glue or by mechanical locks to form the bottom panel of the carrier. End flaps are included on sides of some or all panels and are folded inwardly to close the ends of the carton and enclose articles, such as beverage containers, therewithin. These end flaps can contain opening or dispensing features or can include handles for carrying the carton. These handles often create problems when, for example, the handle opening weakens and/or tears the paperboard or other material of the carton.